006
by Zenappa
Summary: It was the height of the Cold War. Having grown up in the country itself, Peggy felt a strange attachment to the way the government threw themselves head-first into situations that they couldn't control. This time, Peggy wasn't sure the Americans would be able to fight their way out of this one. That was how she, now with MI6, ended up with Agent Loki Laufeyson of the CIA.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hello friends! Don't worry, I haven't abandoned you yet. While I'm waiting for the news to spread about my reboot of my three current stories (Predetermined Fate, Dear Marvel: Captain America, Once Upon a Time), I figured I would post this little 6-8 chapter story. It's basically a Carterson James Bond AU thing I came up with on a whim, and basically, I just want Tom Hiddleston to be James Bond. That was what this was inspired from, but honestly, Peggy makes a better Bond ;) NONETHELESS, please read, review, enjoy a story that I will actually update regularly. Thanks for all of your continued love & support! ~ Zenna

* * *

 **006**

 **PROLOGUE**

It was an unusually cold winter for Russia.

Between the war with America, the growing state of unrest, and the poverty levels rising, the country was on the verge of collapsing. There were leaders scattered around the open land, trying to get their feet planted on the snowy ground. However, it seemed that every time a new leader opened up into the light of the weakened government, someone was there to tear them right back to the ground.

Was the country building atomic missiles? Was the country racing to discover new worlds in space? Was the country truly at war with America without firing a single gun? Possibly. But none of that mattered.

The only thing that mattered was the shadows.

The leaders that stayed in the shadows were the ones that thrived and survived to live the next day. They were the ones that moved further up the food chain to engulf the next program. That was how HYDRA and Red Room survived, rebirthing themselves in the middle of the most dangerous time period in history.

From the moment that Dottie Underwood got involved, she knew that she was going to be part of something great. She had trained in Red Room her entire life, and she had faced the American SSR association several times in her past. She was ready for the next step, and that next step was organizing the biggest plan to conquer the world in history. Hitler be damned, the next revolution for Russia would have her name written all over it.

Currently, Dottie was traipsed across one of several boxes while snow cascaded down from the skies. It seemed that the weather would never cease, but in the countless fur coats that Dottie donned, she didn't mind in the slightest. The snow would cover their tracks easier than rain anyway.

"Move those boxes aside!" she commanded from her position over the rest of the Russian agents scattered around her. She was the only one not hastily moving equipment, but she certainly got her two cents in. "We have to make room for the new shipment!"

One of the agents dared to stop, halting his hurried trek across the snowy fields to stare at Dottie in confusion. "But ma'am," he attempted to protest. "We have the meeting tonight."

"I don't care what happens tonight," she retorted, adding an eye roll for good measure. "I am not leaving without my shipment taken care of."

The Russian immediately nodded, not daring to speak up again as he hurried away with a "yes ma'am" mumbled under his breath.

Dottie continued to stare after the man for several seconds, her eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the agents doing their jobs… the jobs that she assigned them. It was a good feeling. For the first time in her life, she wasn't following orders; she was creating her own.

"When the Leviathan committee meets today," she announced, raising her voice so each and every Russian could hear her. "They will have a new leader to answer to."

She waited for the smiles and cheers to die down before she clambered off of her perch, heading inside to her office. Shrugging off her layers of fur coats, she allowed for a tiny smile to cross her face. Finally, everything was going as planned. Finally, she was going to have her moment in the spotlight. Finally, she was going to take back what was rightfully hers.

However, she wasn't able to bask in her own glory for long before the telephone located on her desk rang. She rang her fingertips across the smooth metal brass before she lifted the modern device to her ear. "Yes?" she purred, expecting one of her many agents to call with a complaint, but when she heard the voice on the other line, her heart leapt into her throat.

"You should really take better care of your agents."

Her hands shook, almost dropping the phone, as she replied, "Yes, sir." She silently cursed herself for conforming to his words so easily, but old habits never died. Her blood chilled in her system as she scrambled for words. "I didn't mean to cause any harm. I just want to rain fire on those-"

"That won't be necessary. I'll be attending the meeting tonight."

If Dottie's heart could sped up any faster, it did.

"But sir," she stammered. "I have it covered."

There was a long pause as if the person on the other end of the line was truly considering her words. But Dottie knew that she no longer stood a chance.

"I'll be there."

As the line went dead, she practically flung the phone back on its receiver in a mix of rage and fear. Whatever plans she had for the future were no longer stable.

…

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Agent Peggy Carter turned to her partner with a skeptical look on her face. After she loaded her last gun, tucking it in her back pocket, she raised an eyebrow in his direction. It wasn't that she didn't trust him; in fact, she trusted him with her life. It was everyone else that she didn't trust.

Since moving back home to London after her time at the SSR, Peggy quickly rose to the top of the ranks at MI6, hiding her face behind her numerous missions. She became the top agent of London, expanding her career in ways that she never thought possible before. However, all of that came to a screeching halt when America contacted her.

It was the height of the Cold War, a war that made America very nervous. Having grown up in the country itself, Peggy felt a strange attachment to the fearless way the government threw themselves head-first into situations that they couldn't control. This time, Peggy wasn't sure the Americans would be able to fight their way out of this one.

That was how she ended up with Agent Loki Odinson of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Working in the SSR had its fair share of time spent alongside the other government agencies, operating in the light while Peggy always preferred the shadows. Nonetheless, the CIA had left a bad taste in her mouth. When her Director decided to involve themselves in this Cold War by assisting the Americans, Peggy didn't complain. When her Director assigned her and only her to the case, Peggy didn't complain. When she discovered who her partner was, Peggy complained.

Agent Loki Odinson was not born and raised in America, nor was he American at all. In fact, he was not even from this Earth. And he made sure to remind Peggy of that daily.

Peggy didn't ask too many questions. The more she knew about his alien situation, the more she knew she would regret asking. She enjoyed living in her own world, even though she knew others existed. Facing the Russians was bad enough without having to worry about Asgardians too.

But Loki was not like every other alien story out there. He was… human. He had human qualities and feelings, and Peggy wasn't sure how exactly to deal with that. Even after working with him for the past two years on the Cold War case, she still wasn't sure how she felt about the abridged man standing next to her.

"You always have a bad feeling about every mission we go on," he pointed out, smirking in her direction. The dark-haired agent finished loading his sniper gun, aiming down the snowbank towards the camp they had just spotted.

Peggy only smirked back towards her partner, learning how to deal with his quips after all this time. "I don't exactly enjoy the company," she lied.

"You wound me. Is it your realistic British self showing again?"

Her smirk turned into a glare as she watched him aim his gun in the direction they needed. "Well, technically, I'm not a fan of Americans," she continued to lie, trying her hardest to get on his nerves. He always got on hers so easily; it was time to return the favor.

"Technically, I am not American," Loki pointed out, not taking his eyes off of their target.

It had been two years, and they had been in the heart of Russia for the past six months. It was only yesterday that they had gotten a lead to the camp that they were currently hovering over, guns shining upon the boxes that littered the snow-covered ground.

"You only remind me of that daily," Peggy retorted, shaking her head. "Why are you helping them, anyway?"

Loki shrugged his shoulders, keeping one eye on the sniper rifle in his hands. "They did not give me much of a choice," he said. "They wanted to cover up the… event, so they did us both a favor."

"They kept you out of jail and kept their asses covered for failing to protect their leader," she responded in disgust, her respect for the Americans slowly draining. "I still don't understand why they gave you a job in the CIA."

"Because I am good at what I do," Loki commented with another smirk. "They did not want the world knowing an alien almost killed their President."

"So they blamed it on the Puerto Ricans instead."

There was a long pause between the two partners as they took in the scene around them, watching the Russian agents below them scramble around. After a moment, Loki moved away from the sniper rifle and sat back on his hands, glancing up at Peggy. They only shared bits and pieces of their lives from time to time, but it was times like these that they were able to truly see each other clearly.

"Do you think the world is ready for the truth?" asked the Asgardian, raising both eyebrows as he awaited Peggy's response.

Peggy only shrugged, dodging the question further. "Working in the SSR really opened my eyes," was all she said in reply.

"You never did tell me why you went back to London."

She pursed her lips together, judging the distance between them. "It's not a story I like to talk about," she snapped, her tone harsher than intended.

"It could not be about Captain America, could it?" he questioned, toeing the line that they had set for each other.

Peggy immediately narrowed her eyes. "I thought we had an agreement. I don't talk about Asgard, or whatever other aliens you claim, and you don't talk about Steve."

"Oh, it was Steve, was it?"

"Shut up."

Loki sighed, unable to fight another smirk creeping up on his lips. "If you are going to continue to be my partner," he said, breaking the tense silence. "Do you not think I deserve to know your background? I have told you mine."

"I wish you hadn't."

But Peggy knew, deep down, that Loki was right. He had shared everything with her ever since the beginning, and she had kept everything to herself. When he was the one with the biggest secret, he shared, and she had said nothing.

She opened her mouth to retract her statement, but Loki cut her off before she could apologize. "For the record, MI6 suits you better," he commented before turning back to his rifle.

"You would say that," she replied dryly, but she still felt the twinge of regret in her stomach.

"Why are you helping the Americans anyway?" he asked after they had lapsed into silence once more. "This war that they are getting themselves into, it does not involve you."

Peggy sighed, running one hand through her own hair. "No, but if your people are idiotic enough, they just might start a World War Three."

"They are not my people," corrected the Asgardian. "I tried to kill their President."

"And?"

"And what? I learned from an oracle on Asgard that your President Truman would only bring destruction on the nine realms."

Peggy rolled her eyes. "You think one person can do that much damage?" she questioned, calling bluff to his story. "A mortal, no less?"

"I never said he was mortal."

Peggy's jaw dropped at his words, trying to process the implication that Loki had just left on the ground before he turned back to his rifle. "What?" she spluttered.

"Target's moving," was all Loki replied, immediately packing up his rifle and slinging it over his shoulder. It was time to cut off the head of Leviathan.

Peggy didn't move from where she stood flabbergasted. "I bloody hate you," she managed to say.

"You love me."

"Why did they even assign me this job?" she snapped, shaking her head in disbelief.

Loki stood up, cracking his back and loading his last handgun. He smirked in her direction, taking her hands. "Because you are my partner, remember?" he said, squeezing her hands gently.

"I'm going to kill my director one of these days for ever thinking that was a good idea."

Loki only let out a tiny chuckle as they glanced into each other's eyes. Both of them knew that this was the moment that they had waited two years for. Both of them knew that this was going to change.

A few moments later, Peggy had successfully found her way inside the building, hiding in the shadows of the Leviathan meeting. Clicking back the trigger, she kept an eye on everyone entering and exiting the room, counting off their names in her head. Their mission was clear: to bring Dottie in without any questions. But Peggy had the horrible feeling that this was going to come down to a life or death situation.

Her walkie talkie crackled to life at its lowest volume, and she turned her head from side to side, making sure that her position was not revealed.

"What do you see."

She sighed, narrowing her eyes as she glanced around the room, not getting much from where she was crouching. "It seems they decided to have a meeting," she said, sparing Loki the details.

"Do you spot Underwood?"

"Yeah," she answered simply. "I've got eyes on her."

"Are you able to get to her? Take her in?"

Peggy sighed, wishing more than anything that she could just shoot everyone in the room and be done with it. But then again, that wasn't the MI6 way. "No," she said. "She's being shadowed by someone. I can't see who."

"Keep an eye out," Loki warned. "I will find the weapons."

"Loki?" she interjected before he could end the call. "Destroy them this time, please. The CIA does not need any more guns."

She could almost hear his smirk on the other side of the line as he replied, "No promises," and ended the call without another word.

Peggy continued to watch as Dottie Underwood herself sauntered to the front of the room, placing her hands delicately on the table. She seemed to have a plan set in motion, but Peggy noticed that her hands kept shaking. Something was wrong here.

Nonetheless, Dottie begun her speech with a steady, commanding voice, one that Peggy had never encountered before. This was a changed Dottie Underwood, and that terrified her for what might happen next.

"As I am sure you are all well aware, there are weapons stored outside for your arsenals," Dottie began, earning the attention of every man and woman in the room, even Peggy. "Our plan is to infiltrate the Americans and taken them down before they even-"

Dottie didn't even get to finish her sentence before he arrived.

Peggy frowned as the doors swung open, allowing sunlight to spread in the corners of the room, shining a pathway through the shadows. She winced and ducked further behind the rail, hoping that she wasn't seen. However, the person that walked in clicked his heels on the tiled ground, announcing his presence to everyone in the room. Dottie immediately stiffened up, her hands now shaking frantically. And that was when Peggy realized that this was the moment that Dottie was terrified for.

"Before they even knew what hit them?" the newcomer spoke, allowing for a dry laugh to appear between his pursed lips. "That is not a very solid plan, Dottie."

Dottie's eyes widened as she took a step back from the long table, her gaze darting to each of the members sitting in the chairs for support. When she received none, most likely out of fear, she turned to the newcomer with a frightened shake of her head.

"Sir, I only meant-"

"I have a better plan," he interrupted once again.

However, this time, the man swiftly pulled out a gun, shooting Dottie point blank in the head. Peggy's hands flew to her mouth in shock, almost dropping her gun as she did so, at the change in events. This changed everything. MI6 wouldn't have what they originally wanted, and she needed to get back to Loki before anything else happened. If Dottie was dead, Leviathan had a new leader now, and it was the man that she could barely see from the shadows.

"How about we control them?" the newcomer continued, cleaning off the barrel of his gun before tucking it back in his coat pocket. "Anyone opposed?"

He glanced around the room, searching everyone's eyes for a sense of loyalty. When he was satisfied that everyone was on board, he turned away from the table, ignoring Dottie's corpse lying on the ground. A wicked smile crossed his face a moment later.

"Good." There was a long pause in which Peggy shifted, prepared to head back outside, but she never got that far. "Now," the man continued, turning exactly to face her. "If someone would like to bring me Agent Carter from the shadows over there, we can conclude this meeting."

…..

Outside the building, Loki had taken down all of the agents surrounding the building for protection, scattering their unconscious bodies across the snow. He shivered, despite his heritage, and turned back to the fire that he had just started. Grabbing one of the last boxes, he was just about to throw the weapons in the fire when his walkie talkie buzzed.

He threw the box anyway, ignoring the loud clang and pop it made when coming into contact with the flames, before he grabbed his device. "Peggy?" he answered quickly. "What is going on in there?"

"Peggy can't come to the phone right now. May I take a message?"

In an instant, Loki knew the plan had gone to shit. His blood froze in his veins, and his hands grew sweaty, almost dropping the walkie talkie into the frozen snow below his boots. If this man, whoever he was, had his hands on Peggy, that meant that their end game wasn't Dottie, after all. It was bigger than they had imagined, and they had walked into a trap.

In another split second, Loki grabbed one of his guns from his pants holster, prepared to shoot anyone who dared to come near him while he spoke to the unknown man on the other end.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, his voice shaking in worriment.

There was a slight crackle and then, "A mutual acquaintance." Another pause. "You need to drop this, Agent Odinson, before things get messy."

Loki didn't move, his breathing growing harsher as he realized the gravity of their mistake. They could have just set off the war that they were trying so hard to avoid. "Put Peggy back on," he attempted to say calmly. "And we can figure this out. You have my word."

"I warned you, Agent Odinson. I'm afraid you've already said your last goodbye."

There was a slight shuffle before Loki heard the dreaded sound. A gun shot, followed by a thud of a body hitting the ground. "No!" he practically screamed into the device before rage consumed his system. He knew he was outgunned, but he was fully prepared to storm into the building in front of them, setting everyone ablaze with their weapons.

"Stay out of my affairs, Agent Odinson, and I shall stay out of yours."

There was one last crunching sound in which Loki knew the man had destroyed the device on the other end. Loki, however, threw his own walkie talkie into the snow, shattering it on impact. He had failed. He had failed his partner. He had failed America and this world that he now resided in. And now, she was dead.

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he realized what he had just done. He had lost the one thing that brought even a glimmer of hope in his life. He had lost his only friend.

And it was his fault.


	2. Chapter One

**CHAPTER ONE**

It was five years later that Agent Loki Odinson found himself standing in the middle of MI6 headquarters, situated in the one place that he never thought he would ever be in.

London.

After the incident that had led to Peggy's death, Loki resigned from the CIA, much to everyone's relief. As much as the Americans knew their control over the Asgardian, they were glad to see him leave nonetheless. The chapter of his agent life, however, was far from over.

Loki joined MI6, picking up exactly where his partner had left off without question. While their concrete mission was over, the consequence that was imprinted on his mind would remain forever. A piece of him would never forgive himself for what happened on his watch, and another piece of him would never stop fighting to find out the truth about what happened that day.

For now, he had to get his answers from elsewhere.

Director Brandt, head of MI6, was not too pleased to have the Asgardian join their esteemed ranks. However, no matter how much he held a grudge against Loki, he could not deny that the dark-haired man was a good agent. The CIA had sent over his files as soon as they heard that there was even a possibility that Loki was joining, and Brandt was impressed. He had been their top agent for a long time, so why had he left?

The answer was simple, but Brandt did not dare consider the option. Loki needed a fresh start, Brandt continued to tell himself, and he was not one to deny another good agent. Especially after they had lost one of their best. It did not matter to him that Carter was his former partner. He couldn't let it matter because if he did, then the mission would already be compromised before it even started.

Director Brandt was not about to lose another agent.

And that was exactly the reason that he called Loki into his office as he passed him in the hallways.

Heaving a sigh, Brandt ran his hands through his short graying hair as he sat down behind the mahogany desk, leaning back in his plush chair. Loki entered soon after, a perplexed look crossing his face. Brandt knew that it was a ruse, nonetheless; Loki knew exactly why Brandt had called him in his office.

"Director Brandt," Loki commented as he shut the door behind them, leaving them in private company. "What can I do for you?" 

Brandt sighed, glancing over the dark-haired agent. Loki looked older, if that was even possible for an Asgardian. He looked tired and weary, but yet, he never gave up any missions. He took more than the rest of his senior staff combined, and that was something that Brandt considered dangerous. Loki was growing reckless, and he had a sneaky suspicion that he knew why.

"Do you remember what I told you when I first hired you?" Brandt questioned.

Loki raised an eyebrow, taking a seat in the chair on the other side of the desk. "Not to regret your decision," he replied swiftly.

"I have not," Brandt reassured the agent. "Yet. I took a big leap of faith hiring you after you had one of my best agents killed."

There it was. The clear look of shock that passed across Loki's face. Another moment passed, and the look faded to something that Brandt couldn't quite put his finger on. It was more than just sadness, it almost seemed like depression.

Brandt never blamed Loki for what happened to Carter, not once. He merely needed a bridge to connect the two topics, confirming his suspicions.

"I never meant-" Loki started to say, glancing down towards the ground, but Brandt didn't let him finish.

"I know you cared for her too." It was a statement, rather than a question. "Agent Carter was an asset to us all. She got in too deep. Shit happens."

Loki looked up towards him, neither confirming nor denying his statement. "I led her there, sir," he said calmly. "I take full responsibility for her death."

"That was five years ago," Brandt pointed out. "You still think about that?"

That, of course, was a rhetorical question.

"Every day."

There was a long pause in which Brandt let a shadow of a smile cross his features. His suspicions were most definitely confirmed by now.

"Why did you call me in here?" Loki questioned, now becoming suspicious of Brandt himself.

Brandt sighed. "Why were you in Moscow a week ago?" he asked.

"It was a personal mission."

Loki's response was so quick that it almost seemed rehearsed. Brandt narrowed his eyes towards the Asgardian. "You almost blew up the Kremlin," he stated, recalling the angry phone calls and news reports that he had to deal with almost immediately after his agent's actions.

"Things happen," Loki said with a shrug, keeping his green eyes trained directly on Brandt.

"Russia-"

"I was not trying to kill anyone."

Brandt let out a long breath, exhaling the carbon dioxide through his mouth and nose. "Let it go," he said softly, returning the subject back to where they had started.

"With all due respect, sir," Loki commented. "It was my decision. You did not assign me to a new mission, and I decided to investigate an old case."

"Both the CIA and MI6 heard your message very clearly five years ago."

Loki wouldn't let the subject go, now that Brandt had discovered his motives. "The case is not yet solved," he continued.

"Let it go," Brandt repeated with yet another sigh. "Do you know what Carter's nickname was around here?"

Loki frowned at the sudden change of subject, his forehead wrinkling. "No," he said slowly as if he was questioning my train of thought. "I do not."

"007," Brandt replied swiftly, a hint of a smirk appearing across his lips. "Do you know why?" He didn't wait for Loki to answer this time. "Because seven is a very lucky number, and she was damn lucky. Not to mention, she was good at what she did."

Loki rolled his eyes at this pathetic attempt to make him feel better. He didn't want anyone's pity, especially not Brandt's. "Put up with me or kill people?" he retorted.

Brandt threw him an annoyed look. "Do you know what we call you?"

"I cannot say that I do."

"006."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he questioned. "Because I am the devil?"

Brandt chuckled, despite his thought about the paperweight that he currently wanted to throw at Loki's head. "Because you are good, Odinson," he stated. "But not quite as good as she was."

For the first time since Brandt had met Loki, he rendered him speechless. Loki, of course, would never admit to it, but all the agent was capable of was nodding and replying, "Very well." He spun around on his heels, preparing to leave the director's office far behind. After all, this conversation desperately needed to come to a close.

However, before Loki could properly exit the room, Brandt spoke up again. "I have to ground you," he said solemnly, almost as if he was apologetic about it. "You do realize that."

Loki didn't even turn around as he nodded once more, not sure what else he could say towards Brandt. "Thank you, sir," he concluded before he carefully opened the large wooden doors in front of him and exited the office.

It wasn't long before Loki found himself in Central London, tucked inside a fire red telephone booth. He dialed a number that he never thought he would call again and glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if Brandt was tracking his every movement now.

When there was a click on the other end of the line, Loki breathed out a sigh of relief. If Brandt was serious about grounding Loki, he would have to try something else to continue his personal mission.

"Agent Thompson," Loki spoke under his breath, continually glancing off in every direction.

Agent Jack Thompson heaved a large exasperated sigh at the sound of Loki's voice. After not hearing a word from his former friend for five years, he had moved on. The CIA needed all of their best agents, and Jack stepped up to the plate as soon as Loki had left the country.

"I thought I told you never to call me."

Loki made a face, one he knew Jack couldn't see. "Just because I left-" he started to say, but Jack wasn't about to let the Asgardian have the upper hand again. He had already taken enough of his bullshit during their years together at the CIA.

"You know how I feel about you leaving the CIA," Jack snapped. "So why are you calling me? Don't tell me that you're still investigating Carter."

After Loki had returned back to America after his mission went sour, Jack was the first one to hear the story. Before transferring to the CIA, Jack worked alongside Peggy in the SSR, and he thought that he would be able to help Loki through the grief that they shared. While Jack and Peggy were never on the best of terms when they worked together, Jack never wished ill upon her. He hadn't heard anything about her until Loki. And now, she was all he would talk about.

"I have to," Loki said, almost apologetically.

"Let it go."

"You sound just like my director."

Jack did not have time to argue with Loki, especially when he hadn't heard from the former CIA agent in years. "I knew Carter from her time at the SSR," he repeated. "She wouldn't want you to think like this."

Loki rolled his eyes. This was not how he planned for the phone call to go. In fact, he had anticipated that Jack would be glad to hear from him. "I do not blame myself," he said in exasperation, trying to get to his point.

"I am hanging up now," Jack replied angrily.

"I am grounded, Thompson."

Jack groaned, putting the pieces together. If Loki thought that he could just call up after five years and ask for a favor, he was more arrogant than Jack originally thought. "And what the hell do you want me to do about it?" he snapped.

He hadn't hung up the phone like he promised, which Loki considered to be a good sign. "Something," he said, lowering his voice further. Brandt was sure to have caught onto him by now. "I need to get to Belgium."

"And I need to win a million dollars," Jack retorted.

There was a long pause in which neither agent said a word. Loki took that as continued good faith.

"So will you help me?" he finally questioned, holding his breath as he waited for Jack's answer. This was his last resort. After this, he knew he was royally screwed.

"You can't be a super spy without a little help, right?"

Loki let out a long sigh of relief. "I owe you one," was all he said before he returned the payphone on its hook. He knew Jack would pull through. He always did.

As the Asgardian exited the phone booth, however, his eyesight landed on a clear MI6 agent, just staring at him. There was no need for subtlety anymore; Loki knew that he was busted.

"You can tell Director Brandt to kiss my ass," he called out to the agent with a clear smirk on his face.

Whatever happened now, plans were already in motion.

It was only an hour later that Loki found himself back in Director Brandt's office for the second time that day. Only this time, Brandt was not in a gaming mood.

"I have half a mind to kick you out," Brandt stated as soon as Loki was led into the office.

The Asgardian glanced over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes as his escorts exited the room behind him. "You will not," Loki reassured the director, raising an eyebrow. As much as Brandt liked to flaunt his authority, Loki knew that he would never kick out an agent without true reason. Loki never followed the rules, anyway. This was truly nothing new.

"Do you want to challenge me, Agent Odinson?" Brandt snapped.

"No, sir," Loki said calmly, not even raising his voice in the slightest. "I am enacting on my own orders."

"Do you understand what grounding means?"

"Yes, sir."

"And are you aware that one of your fellow agents intercepted a call between you and a colleague from America about a ride to Belgium?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a long pause as the director and agent stared each other down, just daring for the other to blink. Loki let a tiny smirk pass across his lips as he realized that he was always going to win this internal battle. He would always win, no matter how angry Brandt was with him.

"I should kick you out of this program," Brandt finally spoke in a resigned tone of voice. "But you're lucky that you're a quality agent."

Loki nodded once, accepting the silent punishment, before he got back to his feet, brushing off lint from his suit coat as he did so. However, before he could leave the office, Brandt caught his arm, slipping a sheet of paper into his hand. Loki gave Brandt a confused look, but from the desperate look in Brandt's eyes, Loki knew that he was the director's last chance.

It seemed that they were all trapped in their own corners.

"Get out of my office, 006."

As Loki closed the wooden doors behind him, he headed back through the hallways, waiting until he had locked himself in the men's room before revealing the sheet of paper that Brandt had given him.

" _Being watched. Go to Belgium. There'll be an agent waiting for you to explain everything. Don't trust anyone. Good luck, 006."_

It was that moment that Loki knew he was already on a doomed mission.


	3. Chapter Two

**Trigger Warning:** Minor character suicide. It happens towards the end of the chapter when Loki chases him to the dock. If you don't want to read, just skip a few paragraphs and you're good :)

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

As soon as Loki arrived at the Belgium airport, under a different name and disguise naturally, he kept his head down to avoid eye contact with anyone. Just because he was in a different location did not mean that he had the freedom to walk around as he pleased. If anything, Loki was more at risk now than ever.

Before he had a chance to recover from the flight, however, he heard a name call out towards him. Warily, he turned around, only lifting his eyes off of the ground without moving his head.

"Agent Odinson."

Only this time, there was a slight wave that went along with the shout of his name. Loki rolled his eyes, recognizing the man immediately as he made his way to his side. He resisted the urge to slap a hand over his mouth.

"Do you not know what undercover means?" he grumbled under his breath. However, by the time he finally lifted his head up, he nodded to the other MI6 agent. "Agent Murlow," he stated simply. "When the Director said-"

"Don't say a word," Murlow snapped, placing a hand on Loki's wrist. Loki gave him a dirty look as he shook him off. "There are eyes all around."

Loki clenched his fists, hating the way that he was being forced to work with another agent. "What the hell happened?" he managed to spit out, trying his absolute hardest to keep his cool.

"Not here."

Murlow started to walk towards the parking lot not far from the airport's main doors. Loki frowned, following him all the same. When they reached one of the several black cars in the front lot, Murlow opened the passenger side door for Loki, motioning for him to get in. It was clear that Director Brandt hadn't exactly filled in Loki on everything yet.

"Get in," Murlow repeated when Loki hesitated. "I have a secure hotel room for us."

Loki heaved a loud sigh as he slid into the passenger seat. He waited for Murlow to get in the driver's seat, starting up the engine remotely, before he spoke. "I work alone."

Murlow threw him a dirty look, and Loki wondered how long this partnership was going to last when they clearly did not get along. "Not here, you don't," Murlow retorted, shifting the car's gear. He backed out of the parking space and started to zoom down the streets of Belgium as if he had done it his entire life. "You've been without a partner for too long."

"All of my partners get killed."

Murlow shook his head. "That was once," he reminded Loki. "I'm smarter than that."

Loki bit his tongue, fighting the urge to defend Peggy's memory. This imbecile wasn't worth the time, he reminded himself as he continued to stare straight ahead through the windshield.

"I work alone," Loki retorted. "You are here to brief me, and then you are gone."

Murlow slammed on the brakes at a stoplight, sending Loki flying forward into the dashboard. He smirked over at the Asgardian, throwing his hands up in the air. "No wonder no one in the department likes you," he snapped.

"Why, because I am an alien or because I used to work for the Americans?"

Murlow pushed his foot on the gas, earning yet another glare from the passenger. "Because you're an arrogant prick," he stated.

There was a short pause as Loki tried to fight the smirk creeping up on his face. Perhaps this agent wasn't so bad, after all. "Fair enough," was all he said before he leaned his head back against the head rest, closing his eyes for a moment.

When they reached the secure hotel that Murlow had mentioned, the MI6 agent led Loki directly into the elevators, not pausing for a moment. It was clear that he had direct orders that had to be obeyed. As soon as the pair was inside the hotel room, Murlow locked and bolted the door behind them, shutting the curtains after.

"So, can you tell me now what the hell is going on?" Loki questioned, folding his arms across his chest.

He glanced around the room, taking notice of the anti-bug contraption and other devices scattered across the desk. Impressed, Loki turned back to Murlow, waiting for an answer. Maybe this agent was qualified for the task, after all.

"We're being watched," Murlow said simply as he double-checked the locks once again.

Loki watched him, sensing the paranoia creeping into his system. Whatever he and Brandt knew, it was something to spook the both of them. "I gathered," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes.

After another few moments, Murlow ceased his searching, spinning around on his heels to face Loki. He mimicked the older agent, folding his arms across his chest. "It's more than that," he murmured, lowering his voice. "The United Security Council is setting up surveillance on every agency in the entire world."

"And we should be concerned?" Loki asked.

"Do you want a group of old men watching your every move?" he snapped.

Loki shook his head slowly, moving to peer out the window at the streets below. "Preferably not," he admitted, scanning the streets below them. He was beginning to realize why everyone had been so paranoid. "I thought this world wanted to be free."

"So did I, and I grew up here."

Loki turned back around, cocking his head to one side. "What's in Belgium?" he inquired out of the blue.

"I thought you were the one who wanted to come here," Murlow answered, raising an eyebrow.

Loki shrugged. "I am, but you would not just come here for me."

"Not entirely true," Murlow relented, moving towards the bathroom. "You had a little help."

The younger MI6 agent knocked on the bathroom door twice before stepping back, allowing for the white wooden door to swing open. Loki's hand instinctively twitched towards his gun before he laid eyes on the person that emerged from behind the door. He sighed in relief, allowing for his hand to drop back to his sides.

"Thompson."

Agent Jack Thompson stepped out of the bathroom, nodding once towards Murlow in a sign of thanks. He smirked as he headed over to Loki's side, shaking his slicked back hair from side to side. "I was not about to miss the greatest showdown in history," he commented with a smirk, glancing into Loki's green eyes.

Loki nodded back towards the CIA agent before glancing over Jack's shoulder towards Murlow. "And you two have met?" he questioned, although he already knew the answer.

"Briefly," Murlow replied, moving back towards the window to adjust the curtains that Loki had disturbed. "My job is almost done, however. I just have to tell you about-"

But whatever Director Brandt had instructed Murlow to tell Loki and Jack, he never got the chance to tell. In a split second, Murlow's hands flew to his neck as he collapsed on the ground. Blood poured out of the wound where his jugular had once been, staining the wooden floors beneath their feet.

"Shit!" Jack swore as he leapt to his fellow agent's side, gripping his body in his arms. But it was no use, and Loki knew that.

That was why instead of jumping to Murlow's dead body, he jumped out the window, shattering the glass around him. He landed on the roof of the building just below them, turning around himself until he caught a glimpse of a sniper fleeing the scene a few roofs over. It was almost too easy for Loki to follow him off the roofs and down to the nearby dock on the edge of the city.

"Who the hell are you?" he called out towards the assassin as he yanked out his gun, pointing it in the sniper's direction.

The assassin paused where the dock met the water, turning around to face Loki. He smirked, grabbing his own gun from his pocket. "I am only the first of many to come," he said before he lifted the gun to his own chin, ending his life in a split second.

Loki lunged towards the shooter as he toppled over backwards in the water below, sinking below the surfaces of the shallow waves. "Shit," Loki said with a toss of his head, backing away from the docks. This was worse than he initially expected.

When he made it back to the hotel, he headed around the back and climbed up the fire escape, not wanting to attract more attention in the lobby. They had already done enough damage. He re-entered through the window, calling out Jack's name, hoping that there weren't more assassins waiting to finish the job.

"In here!" came Jack's reply from the bathroom. He had moved Murlow's body to the bathtub, trying to wash the blood off of the body and his own hands. When Loki froze in the doorway, his heart pounding from sprinting through the Belgium streets, Jack glanced up towards him with a sad shake of his head. "You really manage to piss off everyone, don't you?" he snapped before he noticed Loki's guilty expression. Jack sighed, standing up beside the bathtub. "Did you catch him?" he asked, his tone softer than before.

"He shot himself," Loki replied, unable to take his eyes off of Murlow's body. "He said he was the first of many. Thompson, something big is going on here, and I have a terrible feeling about it."

Jack let out another sigh, following Loki's gaze to the dead MI6 agent laying in the bathtub. "You better call this in before it gets any messier," Jack pointed out.

"I cannot," Loki said. "I am supposed to still be in London. Director Brandt sent me here under the radar, and I have a feeling that Agent Murlow was as well. We are on our own."

Jack gave Loki a horrified expression. No one needed to speak the words that they would immediately be blamed for the agent's death. That was evident without the help from the CIA or MI6. They were about to be fugitives, greater than they already were.

"So what do we do now?" Jack asked after the pair stood there in silence for a few minutes.

Loki gave one last sad glance towards Murlow before he lifted his gaze towards his former friend. "We keep moving," he said reluctantly. "Before someone else comes back to finish the job."

It only took a few hours for Loki and Jack to get across town, finding their way to the outskirts of the city of Belgium. Frankly, neither agent knew what exactly town they were in, but it didn't matter. They were safe, for now.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Odinson?" Jack said, shaking his head from side to side as they took refuge in a nearby bar.

"The last assignment that Peg-Agent Carter and I were on, it was something big, something that was out of our league. The Russians were planning an attack on the world in order to get us under their… control."

Loki paused as he said his last few words, his brow furrowing as he concentrated on the details of the past. As much as he didn't like to think about what happened five years ago, it was essential to figuring out who would want them dead now, or at least, Murlow dead.

Jack took another sip of his whiskey before he placed it back on the bar, glancing around to make sure that they weren't being watched or overheard. "What is it?" he questioned, following Loki's train of thought.

"Agent Murlow said that the United Security Council is setting up surveillance on the world, to stop the attacks before they happen."

Jack made a face. "I was listening, believe it or not," he retorted sarcastically.

Loki chose to ignore his comment, staring into his own whiskey as if it held the answers he was looking for. "What if that is just a cover-up for a bigger story?" he speculated. "The Russians, this leader of this Leviathan terrorist group that Underwood was a part of, they were all planning this for a long time. It has been five years since they started. They must have someone on the inside."

"You think this has always been them?" Jack asked, his eyebrows flying to the top of his head. "Jesus Christ Odinson, if you're right, then we're in some deep shit."

Loki shook his head, terrified that he was right. "Like she said, World War III," he said, half to himself, as he drank another gulp of his drink.

"This isn't just some Cold War anymore, you know."

Loki tilted his head to one side. "At least this time, I will not be the cover-up," he said, trying to lighten the situation.

Jack cracked a tiny smile. "Same old Americans, I suppose," he commented, shaking his head. "So how do we stop them?"

"I have a plan," Loki admitted with a sigh. "But I have a feeling you are not going to like it."

"Great."


	4. Chapter Three

**CHAPTER THREE**

It took almost an entire day for Loki and Jack to get their bearings in the city of Belgium. Loki's plan was not fool proof, but it was still the only plan that they had. He breathed out a long sigh, adjusting his tie attached to his suit. Turning around, he raised an eyebrow at Jack who was staring at the Asgardian with his arms folded across his chest.

Loki didn't even bother to acknowledge him as he pushed past his reluctant partner into the hallway. They were flying under the radar as best as they could, but tonight would change the game. Tonight would open up their vulnerability, but it would also answer some important questions, at least Loki hoped so.

As the pair reached the building that they were searching for, Jack threw Loki yet another glare. It was obvious that the younger agent had no qualms to be here. "I hate parties," he grumbled under his breath as they entered the building undetected.

Jack didn't ask how Loki managed two tickets to the most exclusive gala in Belgium this weekend. He didn't ask how they managed to get past the bouncers without having their faces recognized. He didn't ask if their names were all over the news, blaming them for Murlow's death. There were certain things he just didn't want to know.

Loki smirked in his direction as they stopped in the doorway of the ballroom. "I know," he commented. "You hate even more what is coming next."

"I hate you the most."

They wandered over to the bar, requesting two glasses of whiskey with ice without lifting their heads. Loki slid a twenty across the bar, allowing for the pair to disappear and blend in with the rest of the crowd. They had to keep a low profile if they were going to pull this off.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Loki questioned, taking a sip of his drink. "I did just pay for your alcohol."

Jack shook his head, downing his drink in one gulp. "Yeah yeah, let's just get on with it," he snapped. "This tux is riding up my ass." He paused for a moment. "Does this drink even do anything to do? Does any alcohol?"

Loki smirked, not answering the question. It seemed to be rhetorical anyway. Instead, he simply nodded towards a couple entering the ballroom, the same way that they had done a few minutes before. "There. That has to be them."

Jack narrowed his eyes, glancing them over suspiciously. The woman was on the shorter side, her long blonde hair falling over one shoulder. Her ruby dress cascaded down to the floor, instantly drawing the attention of every male in the room. She glanced at the man beside her, significantly taller and bigger, before she smirked at the crowd below them. It was clear that she owned this place, and she knew it.

"The famous Rasputin siblings?" Jack questioned Loki after a moment, daring to glance back over at the Russian pair. "I'm not so sure about this-"

However, if Jack wanted to chicken out of the plan at the last minute, Loki didn't give him a chance. He broke off as he realized that the MI6 agent was already heading in their direction, setting down his half-full drink on an empty table. Jack rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to kill him," he grumbled under his breath.

Before joining Loki, he swayed over to the table where his partner had dropped his glass, finishing off the whiskey in a single gulp before stepping back to Loki's side.

Loki already had on his charming grin as he approached the Russian pair in front of them. "Good evening to you both," he stated, causing a surprised glance from the siblings.

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow, her mouth twisting into a scowl. It was clear that she was not used to people approaching her so bluntly, no matter if she was royalty or not. "Do I know you?" she snapped, her Russian drawl emerging.

"You should," Loki responded with an air of confidence. "My name is Loki, and this is my friend Jack."

Jack made a face at the mention of them being friends, but he didn't dare speak out against his partner. They only had one shot to do this.

"We don't associate with Americans," the older man standing next to her retorted. He took a step forward to demonstrate that he was not afraid to start a fight, and from the looks of him, he could pick up either agent and toss them across the room like a rag doll.

Loki didn't budge, however. "You are in luck then," he said softly, meeting the man's eyes steadily. "I am not American."

"And your friend?" the brother said through slitted eyes.

Loki chuckled, glancing over his shoulder where Jack was standing as still as a statue, afraid to make any sudden movements. "He is currently betraying his country," he explained. "So I am sure that he can be trusted by someone such as yourself."

The Asgardian's last comment didn't sit well with the man as he lifted his chin, clenching his fists together. "And what is that supposed to-" he started to shout towards Loki, taking another step forward.

The younger woman, however, placed her hand gently on her brother's shoulder, all but pulling him back to her side. "Piotr, calm yourself," she scolded, earning a surprised glance from both agents. It was slowly becoming clear that the woman was the one in charge here with her brother acting as almost a bodyguard. "What do you want?" she questioned, directing her attention back towards the two agents.

Loki threw a dazzling grin on, tilting his head to one side. "Just a simple dance with the most beautiful woman in the room," he commented with a smirk, holding out his arm and praying that she would take it. "What do you say?"

The blonde narrowed her eyes for a moment before she released Piotr and headed down the steps towards Loki. "I have a dagger laced with poison tucked under the seam of my dress," she pointed out in a whisper, accepting Loki's arm reluctantly. "If you try anything, it will be in the side of your neck before you can even blink."

Loki believed her.

"I believe we have ourselves an accord," he stated, leading her out on the dance floor.

The pair fell into silence for several minutes, assuming the natural stance. Loki led them in several tense dances before the blonde finally spoke up, tilting her head to one side, allowing for her long ponytail to brush up against Loki's shoulder.

"You dance well for an American," she pointed out.

"Not American."

"English, then," she guessed, analyzing every aspect of his accent and facial features.

Loki shrugged. "Not exactly, but I will take it," he said, daring to glance into her crystal blue eyes. "I have heard a lot about you, Miss Rasputin."

Finally accepting the Asgardian's offer, she allowed herself to relax in his arms. "Please," she corrected. "Call me Illyana."

"Alright then," Loki said with a nod, flashing her another brilliant smile. "Your reputation precedes you."

"If it had not, I doubt you would be dancing with me right now," she pointed out before she raised an eyebrow, playing along with his game. "What is it that you truly want?"

"Information."

In an instant, all of the acceptance washed away from Illyana's face. She tried to push against Loki's hands, forcing herself away from the agent, but he only tightened his grip on her waist. "Are you a spy?" she snapped, venom spewing from her teeth.

"Do not attract more attention," he scolded, lowering his voice. "I think our friends are actually getting along for now." He glanced over Illyana's shoulder, making eye contact with Jack and smiling gently. Piotr was standing next to his partner, never taking his eyes off of the American once. Loki almost laughed at the sight, and yet, they were not fighting.

"I have half a mind to kill you right now," she spat, glaring at the Asgardian.

Loki sighed, smirking slightly. "You will not," he stated. "You are too fond of me already. I am simply a man trying to find information about a certain organization."

"And what makes you think that I know what this organization is?" she questioned, her nails digging into Loki's shoulder.

He only shrugged. "Because you are part of Russian royalty," he said matter-of-factly. "It would be foolish of the organization not to include you and your brother."

"So you came all of this way to the gala to find me?" she asked with incredulities. "I should be flattered."

Loki smirked deeper, adding another layer onto his charm. "You should be," he responded smoothly. "I was not lying when I said that you were beautiful." His face fell a moment later without breaking eye contact with her. "You must know what I am speaking of."

"Forgive me-"

"They spoke of controlling the world. They want to purge everything."

Illyana went paler than normal for a moment, faltering in her steps as she accidentally tripped over her partner's feet. She recovered a heartbeat later with the only indication being her rising pulse. "You cannot be serious," she stammered, her voice almost a whisper. "They will-"

"I just want to know what they stand for," Loki clarified.

"And when they find out that I was the one who betrayed them-"

"They will not."

Illyana took a deep breath, paranoia creeping into her system. "They do not care if I am royalty," she said. "The man who runs this organization that you speak of…" She trailed off for a moment, biting her lip. "He has a way with words," she continued. "He can make you do anything with just a simple idea, from robbing a bank to shooting yourself in the head. No one is safe from him."

"Illyana-" Loki started to say, but she held up one finger, twisting her hand away from his as they stepped off the dance floor.

A second later, Illyana had slipped off a ring and pressed it into the palm of his hand. "Go to the city tonight," she murmured, never breaking eye contact for a second. "There is a meeting in an hour. And if you are caught, there will be no saving you. Not from Leviathan."

Loki let out a breath of relief that he hadn't known he was holding in. "Thank you," he whispered, kissing her cheek. He let his lips linger there for a second before he pulled away, showing his gracious thanks in his eyes. "I owe you much more than a dance. Take care of Jack for me until I return."

"If you return," Illyana corrected with a raised eyebrow.

Loki smirked, heading out the door as quickly as he could. "Such little faith you have in," he interjected before he disappeared into the night.

When he reached the location that Illyana gave him, Loki had no problem sneaking in. As long as he kept his head down and showed only the ring, he had no resistance. By the time he managed to find his way up towards the balcony, he paused in his tracks, already hearing the familiar voice float up towards his ears. It was the voice of the man that murdered Peggy.

"My fellow disciples," he began slowly, his face hidden completely by the shadows.

Loki narrowed his eyes, trying his hardest to identify the man he was searching for. The man that he had been searching for for five years.

"Tonight," he continued as Loki continued to analyze him. "We are discussing the meaning of the purge. To cleanse the world of all of its goodness, building a better society of our own on top of the ashes of the old one. Everyone just think of it, concentrate hard, and it will become a reality. All except you, Loki Odinson."

Loki froze where he stood, not drawing too much attention to himself. His cover was already blown and he had just arrived. That had to be some sort of record.

"You have been searching for me for quite some time," the leader of the meeting continued, turning and staring exactly in the crowd where Loki was standing. "I dare say that I have been looking forward to this meeting. It has been a long time."

If Loki was here to get answers, now was his chance. He took a single step forward, biting his tongue as one hand flinched towards his gun. "Who the hell are you?" he hissed.

As he emerged into the open, pushing through the crowd, the leader stood up, his face still concealed by the shadows. "Oh, it is no secret," the man stated, staring up at Loki. "My name is Faustus."

"What do you want?" he snapped. "Why did you kill Agent Carter?"

The man named Faustus laughed, his shoulders shaking in the dark as he did so. "Oh right, your girlfriend," he recalled. "Is she the reason that you have been hunting me down all of these years? Or was it something else? The pull of the intrigue, the call of the yearning, the ache to know the truth… of just who the hell I am."

"You have a lot of words that you do not know what to do with," Loki retorted before his hand freed his gun resting in his holster. In a single moment, his pistol was pointed right towards Faustus's head. It was time to end this.

"Oh, I would not do that if I were you," he warned. "You see, I have no idea how you got in here, but you are amongst my fellow disciples. Each and every one of them will not hesitate to cut you down just as you click back the trigger." He broke off, listening to the murmuring of approval amongst his followers, a smirk passing across his lips. "As for you and I, Loki, our paths are intertwined further than you could ever imagine. I must say, you are a hard man to track down, but now that we are finally together again-"

Whatever Faustus had wanted to finish saying, he never got the chance.

The windows above Loki's head shattered, spilling its shards down to the ground. Immediately, the dark-haired Asgardian dropped to the ground, glass raining down on all of the surrounding people. He leapt over the side of the balcony when the gunfire started, dodging bullets as he landed on the ground. However, by the time he managed to back himself in the corner to assess the situation, every single person around him lay dead, except for himself and Faustus who had run out of the room just seconds before.

A figure in a black hood stood in the center of the table, lowering his gun slowly as he stared Loki down. As soon as they made eye contact, the assassin picked up his gun again, pointing it squarely in the Asgardian's direction. Loki held his hands in the air, taking a step forward to demonstrate that he wasn't a part of the crowd that had been standing moments before. He didn't dare look at the scattered bodies in the place, not wanting to physically see the body count that this assassin had just accomplished.

"Stop this, I beg you," Loki said, shaking his head. "They may be the enemy, but this is not the answer. I need answers, same as you."

The assassin paused for a moment, not lowering the gun but not firing either. "I don't care what you need," the hooded figure snapped. "Faustus needs to be stopped, and his disciples deserve to die alongside him." He paused, lowering the gun and turning away from Loki. "Don't get in my way again."

And with that, the assassin disappeared from the room, leaving Loki alone with dead bodies littering the ground.

"And just when I thought things could not get any weirder," Loki said under his breath, heaving a long sigh. The answers would have to wait.

As soon as Loki arrived back at the hotel, he let out a sigh of relief as he spotted Jack sitting on the edge of the bed. He was afraid that Faustus had gotten to the Rasputin siblings and Jack in turn.

"Thompson," he said, shaking his head.

Jack jumped to his feet, glancing Loki up and down. His eyes widened as he took in the blood spatters covering Loki's tuxedo. "Odinson!" he cursed. "What the hell happened?"

"Everything," Loki responded quickly, grabbing Jack's arm and pulling him away from the window. Perhaps he was paranoid, but it was for a valid reason. "We have to get out of Belgium."

Jack gave him a confused glance, his mouth opening and closing for several seconds with no sound. "Wh-what are you talking about?" he stammered.

"The organization, Leviathan, is planning to relocate back to Russia," he explained in a hurry, his eyes darting to every corner of the room, expecting another assassin to burst through at any moment. "They know everything about us, about me. The leader… he called himself Faustus."

"I've never heard of him before."

Loki sighed again, his heart pounding in his chest. He had little time to explain everything, and he knew how confused Jack was. There was no time to lose. "There was someone else," he continued. "Someone like us wanting to break apart Leviathan. Only this person killed every last member in Belgium to get to Faustus."

Jack took a step back, the blood pattern making more sense. "A lone ranger then," he responded slowly, the information processing in his brain. "This assassin could be even more dangerous than the organization itself."

"Whoever he was, he spared my life," Loki pointed out, earning a slow nod from Jack.

"Then where are we heading? To Moscow? To where it all started?"

Loki grabbed his bag from underneath the bed, slinging it over his shoulder as he prepared to leave this city far behind. "No," he said slowly. "I am going to Moscow. You are in enough trouble as it is. You know what happens to anyone who tries to help me."

Jack gave him an unamused look. "Carter and Murlow were mistakes," he retorted, folding his arms across his chest. Loki knew he wouldn't be happy about this, but it was the only way to ensure his friend's safety.

"I will not let you become another one," Loki insisted. "Go back to the United States. If you still wish to help me, get me information on Faustus. Anything you can dig up will be helpful."

Jack shook his head, grabbing his own bag before placing a hand on Loki's shoulder. "I worry about you sometimes," he said before holding out his other hand for Loki to shake. When the MI6 agent obliged, Jack allowed a tiny smile to cross his lips. "You know, you would have been the CIA's best asset."

Loki laughed out loud. "I do not know about that," he responded wittily with a smirk. "MI6 gave me a nickname."

With that last comment, Loki turned around, facing away from his partner, and headed out of the hotel, planning to leave this city far behind.

* * *

 **A/N:** You didn't think I abandoned you, did you? Of course not! I promised to finally write and finish a story in a decent amount of time and that is exactly what I am doing. I was on vacation in the Keys for a couple of weeks and now, I'm finally home and slaving away at work for the summer. Thank you again for reading and reviewing. I love you all 3


	5. Chapter Four

**CHAPTER FOUR**

It was several days later that Loki found himself tucked in a phone booth. Moscow was a large city with eyes and ears everywhere. It was the perfect place to hide in plain sight, but Loki wasn't convinced. He had taken extra precaution when finding a phone booth to dial the States with. Russia was just as advanced as ever – if America had developed wiretapping, he was sure that someone would be listening in to his conversation.

"That is all you could find?" he snapped into the receiver, glancing over his shoulder periodically in the conversation.

Loki could hear Jack's sigh from the other end. "I'm telling you," Jack retorted in a hushed tone. "This guy is a ghost story. He didn't exist until about seven years ago."

"That is impossible," the Asgardian pointed out. "This man looked twice our age."

"Well, my age."

Loki had to laugh at Jack's response, shaking his head as he continued to peer out the phone booth's windows. "Fair enough," he said softly. There was a long pause before a reminding beep told Loki that time was of the essence. He threw in a few more coins to extend their phone call further before he spoke up once again. "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?"

"You," Jack corrected. "You got yourself into this."

"You agreed to help," Loki pointed out, earning another sigh from his American friend.

"Unfortunately," Jack answered. "And I'm regretting that decision every day." His tone betrayed the lie in his words. Loki knew that Jack loved adventure from day one, and his help even from back in America was more than the Asgardian could have hoped for.

However, while they bantered, Loki's mind was going a million miles a minute, retracting their conversation back to the start. Something clicked in his brain, and he froze, almost dropping the phone in his hands. "Wait," he interrupted. "Did you say seven years ago?"

"Yeah," Jack replied lazily. "There were no records of any man named Faustus until about seven years ago."

Loki swore under his breath, shaking his head. "That has to be a coincidence," he spoke his thoughts aloud, scrolling through every memory that he had of this mysterious man.

"What is it?" questioned Jack, sensing the urgency in his partner's voice.

"That is when I came to Midgard, er- Earth."

There was another pause in which Loki could tell that Jack was running through the same scenarios that he was on the other end. "And you've never seen this man before?" he questioned, even though he already knew what the answer was.

"He was in the shadows," Loki said slowly, now beginning to doubt himself. "But-"

"I think you need to take a closer look at this guy, Odinson."

Loki knew that Jack was right. If there was a connection between the two of them, that meant this was a bigger conspiracy than he initially realized. But, it had to be a coincidence. There was simply no other explanation.

After several seconds, Loki realized that Jack was waiting for his reply. Shaking his head, he knew that he had already been in the booth for too long. "Thanks, Thompson," he said quickly, glancing over his shoulder for the last time. "Stay safe."

As he hung up the phone, a sinking feeling crept back into the pit of his stomach. Something told the Asgardian that this was nothing like it seemed.

Once he reached his destination, the abandoned warehouse out on the outskirts of Moscow, Loki knew that he was in deep enough. The files that he had just found on the surface were nothing. Thompson had been right – there was no trace of any Faustus anywhere.

Cocking his head to one side, he noticed another file laying under the couch, the corner of the manila folder peeking out between the legs of the couch. However, before he could make a move towards the extra file, he heard a crash through the front window. Immediately, he dropped to the ground, scattering the files across the room and grabbing his gun from his front pocket.

In another instant, the assailant was in the room, firing directly towards him. Loki rolled out of the way easily enough, firing two shots back towards the assailant before he realized that he had seen this person before. It was the same assassin from earlier, and it seemed that the attacker had come back to finish the job.

However, when the assassin saw who the other person occupying the room was, the gun was lowered. "You," the assailant growled. "I thought I told you to stay out of my way."

"That was not your call to make," Loki snapped, holding the gun at eye level without question. And yet, he didn't fire.

"You're chasing false leads," the assassin continued. "You're chasing a ghost. This is my mission to finish, not yours."

Loki tilted his head to one side, curiosity filling his gaze. "And where did you get the idea that this was your call?" he questioned, taking a step towards the person.

"It was always my mission," the attacker said, echoing Loki's step in the opposite direction. "You weren't supposed to keep going."

Loki froze in his steps, ice filling his veins. The assassin knew too much. This person was someone that was at the top of the food chain, not someone obsessed with a certain case. Thompson was right again, not that he would ever admit it; this assassin was going to cause more trouble than Faustus himself. "What are you talking about?" he finally croaked out, afraid of the answer.

"You weren't supposed to come back."

The assassin placed the gun back in its holster, turning away from Loki as if the assassin was ashamed of something. This, of course, increased Loki's interest in the entire situation. "Come back?" he echoed, taking a few more steps closer, finally lowering the gun.

"Peggy died," the assailant continued. "You were supposed to end the mission there."

"What could you possible know about my life?"

"Because I was there."

In a split second, the assassin turned around, lowering the hood that was attached to the black outfit. Loki's skin crawled where he stood, his jaw falling slack at the face behind the killer. Whatever he had speculated, nothing could have prepared him for this.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Peggy Carter repeated again, locking her gaze with Loki's.

Loki shook his head, denial filling his brain. "No," he said, retreating his steps. "It cannot be." He blinked furiously, despite the ice now consuming his entire body. "Peggy?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, glancing away from his furious green gaze. "When this was all over, I was going to find you."

If Loki heard her plea in her words, it didn't register. "When this…" he trailed off, shaking his head again. "Peggy, I saw… I heard… You died."

"I almost did," she corrected. "That's where you're wrong."

Loki stammered over his words, unable to form sentences let alone coherent thoughts. "I was trying..." he started to say before he tripped over his words again. "For the past five years-"

Peggy gave him the saddest look she could manage from behind her heavy lidded eyes. Unnecessary black makeup coated her lids, shielding her face from view. However, Loki could still make out the despair written across her face. "I know," she said quietly, almost seeming apologetic for the first time. "I didn't want you to follow me. I wanted you to get over me."

"It was my fault."

Peggy sighed loudly, taking a step away from him with a shake of her head. "No, it wasn't," she echoed. "I wanted you to know that. That's why I kept all of this a secret. I needed you to be safe so I could finish this myself. I have the advantage now."

Her words floated in and out of Loki's ears, but he never managed to hold onto any specific sentence. It all started to blur together as everything became too overwhelming. "You had to know that I would come after you," was all he managed to say.

"Why did you?" she repeated, an air of annoyance appearing around her.

"I do not have to answer that," Loki practically snapped. "You already know the answer."

The sympathetic look reappeared on Peggy's face, but Loki didn't want her sympathy. He didn't want her pity. He wanted things to go back to the way that they used to be, but five years passed. It was too long of a time.

Peggy closed the distance between the pair, placing one hand on Loki's cheek. She stared up into his familiar green eyes, but he barely recognized her. He couldn't bare to see what she had become. "I wanted to tell you," she whispered.

Loki flinched away from her hand at her words, removing himself from her side. As much as he yearned for this moment, this was not what he had wanted. She was different now. She was a killer now.

"Then you should have," he responded coldly. "You cannot kill these people."

Whatever human emotion Peggy had mustered around him faded in a split second. She yanked her hood back up over her head, the dark look returning to her face. "I told you not to get in my way," she retorted, narrowing her eyes. "I still mean it."

Before Loki's mind could even register what had just happened, she was gone. He stood there for several minutes, papers scattered around his feet, with a dumbfounded expression on his face. She was back, but it wasn't the Peggy he knew.

It was a few hours later that Loki had gotten his courage and strength together once more. He had found the closest telephone booth to the warehouse, immediately dialing his friend back in the States. He couldn't tell Jack what had become of Peggy. He knew that they had spent time together in the SSR, and Loki knew that he would lose all of the help he had already received by involving Jack deeper in this mess.

The Kremlin loomed in the background as Loki leaned against the glass booth, staring down at his hands while he listened to Jack babble.

"Wait," he interrupted after several seconds of information being passed. "Are you sure you interpreted that right? Faustus is at the Kremlin tonight?"

"That's literally what I just said," Jack retorted, a hint of concern spiking his voice. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Loki shook his head, knowing that he would have to snap out of this if he wanted to complete the mission. Everything had changed in his life: his purpose, his revenge, his story. But one constant still remained. Faustus was alive and out there, causing damage upon this world. Peggy or no Peggy, Loki was involved now, and he would be damned if he gave up this mission now.

"Yeah," Loki said back to Jack. "I am just... out of it, I suppose. Thanks, Thompson."

Without waiting for another word from his American friend, he hung up the phone, erasing any records of his being in that particular phone booth. He glanced up at the Kremlin in the distance, shaking his head. This was almost too easy.

Once Loki snuck his way into the Kremlin, it wasn't hard to find the room where Faustus was holding his latest meeting. He wiggled his way across the balcony, trying not to draw too much attention to himself. The meeting was taking place downstairs, but Loki knew that Faustus had a clear view of the balcony if he only glanced up.

Tilting his head to one side, he took notice of the classified information being passed around below him before he heard a shuffling noise to his left. His hand immediately twitched towards his gun, until he saw her.

Peggy was lying on her stomach, a sniper rifle in her hands as she peered between the bars of the balcony. Her outfit blended in with the floor, and she had colored her rifle to match the bars of the balcony. If she hadn't made a noise, Loki would never have noticed her.

"Oh for gods' sake," he murmured under his breath as she yanked back the pin, preparing to fire.

Loki ran across the floor, not caring about attention being drawn to him anymore, tackling Peggy in the stomach just as she pulled the trigger. The gun yanked up towards the ceiling, causing the sniper bullet to lodge itself in the curtains above Faustus' head. Chaos erupted below them as Loki rolled to the side, allowing Peggy to free herself from his grasp.

"I had him!" she exclaimed, anger blooming in her eyes.

Loki shook his head, getting to his feet slowly. "I am not letting you become this assassin," he said slowly. "You were meant for more than this."

"Too late," she snapped. "These people deserve to pay for what they've done, Loki. They have to be stopped. I don't care what that makes me. If I can stop World War III, I'm going to. I'm not letting you save me."

"I am not giving you a choice."

Peggy shook her head, picking up her rifle from the ground angrily. "I thought I told you to stay away from me," she said.

Loki opened his mouth to respond before a spray of bullets cascaded right above their heads. It seemed that the members of Leviathan were retaliating for Peggy's missed shot. They both ducked immediately as they heard the cock of the guns, lowering their heads instinctively.

"Well, it is a good thing that I am not a very good listener," he responded quickly, glancing over the balcony to see how many men were chasing them. When he was met by another spray of bullets almost grazing his face, he turned back to Peggy, hovering close to the floor. "We have to get out of here."

"You need to go back to England before you get hurt."

Loki rolled his eyes. "And here I thought I was being reprimanded for caring about you," he retorted, meeting her steely gaze.

Peggy froze for a moment, silence erupting around the pair, before she grabbed Loki's hand, running out of the balcony area. Loki let himself be pulled along as they tore out of the building and down the nearby side streets without looking once over their shoulders. They caught their breath a few miles outside the Kremlin walls, leaning against the brick walls of an alleyway.

"You are such a bloody idiot," Peggy breathed out, nearly doubled over in an attempt to catch her breath.

"You do not get to say that to me," Loki responded, meeting her gaze once more in all seriousness.

She paused, letting herself sink into his gaze, before she stood back up with a nod. "I suppose I deserve that," she said.

"Do you have any idea what I went through-" Loki started to say, preparing himself to unload five years worth of pain and suffering on her, but he never got to finish even the first sentence.

"Yes."

"I-" Loki started to say, not listening to her words, until it fully sunk in what she had just commented. "Yes?"

Peggy shook her head, glancing away from Loki for a moment. "I always kept tabs on my partner," she responded before she peered outside the alleyway and disappeared again.

Only this time, Loki wasn't ready to let her go. He followed her down a quiet street, trying not to draw too much attention to them. It was bad enough that they had caused a shootout in the Kremlin. For some odd reason, after all that had happened, he still trusted her... at least to know where they were going.

"I never wanted to hurt you," Peggy said after several minutes of silence.

Loki strained to hear what she had whispered, not allowing himself to forgive her just yet. "I thought you were dead," he murmured back.

"It was better that way."

Loki gave her an incredulous look. "Not to me," he responded, causing another sigh to explode from Peggy's lips. He knew that she thought she was doing the right thing, but she couldn't have been more idiotic to go at this alone. With a jolt, Loki realized that he had done the exact same thing. _But it wasn't the same_ , he told himself, _because you had no choice._

"Stop caring about me," Peggy said with a sigh.

"I cannot," Loki commented back, turning his head to face her as they walked. "Do you really think I could shake this feeling off?"

She only shook her head in response. "You have to stop blaming yourself for something that did not even happen," she retorted. "It was not your fault."

There was a long pause as Loki processed her words. He didn't accept her short apology. He didn't accept what she had done. But he knew that there was only one way out of this mess.

"We have to work together."

Peggy threw him an exasperated look. "I thought you worked better alone," she tossed back at him, picking up her pace as they headed further down the street.

"You were the exception."

"I should be flattered," she said sarcastically, adding an eye roll to her latest look. She let out a long breath, glancing back at him sadly. "I have to end this, Loki."

"Then let me help you," Loki pleaded, knowing that if it came to it, he wouldn't be able to go against her. They needed each other now more than ever.

Peggy paused for a moment, searching his eyes to make sure that he was serious about his request. When she found only sadness lingering there, she lowered her tense wall around her. "Don't get in the way next time," she commented, agreeing to his statement.

"As long as you do not kill Faustus without answers," Loki retorted, not letting her have the last word on their agreement.

She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "What answers are you looking for?" she questioned.

"I am not entirely sure," Loki admitted slowly. "I will know when I have him cornered."

Peggy paused for another minute, processing his terms along with her own. "Deal," she concluded, nodding in agreement.

After another few minutes of walking, they froze in front of an ordinary-looking house, her gaze raking over the outside of the residence. "It's a safehouse," she explained, glancing beside her at Loki. "We have to stay here for the time being until we plan out what's next."

Loki locked his gaze with hers as they stood on the stairs leading up to the safehouse. "So what happens now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

Peggy only had to look at his emerald green gaze once more before she closed the gap between them, smashing her lips onto his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her down to her height as her lips moved across his. Loki retaliated a split second later, deepening the kiss as they stood locked together on the front doorstep. He kicked back, opening the front door as they moved inside, their lips still gliding over each other's.

This was most definitely better late than never. And for a moment, Loki forgot everything else that was happening around him.


End file.
